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Worcester Warriors made to pay for Melani Nanai red card as Gloucester claim convincing win at Sixways

Gloucester score a try - PA
Gloucester score a try - PA
  • Worcester Warriors 15 Gloucester 44

There was a strange irony to Worcester full-back Melani Nanai’s sending off less than 20 minutes into the game.

The Samoan had been ruled out for the remainder of the season back in February as result of a shoulder injury but the Premiership’s coronavirus-enforced hiatus allowed the player to regain fitness in time for this weekend’s resumption.

However, it did little to help the hosts as it was one-way traffic from his dismissal onwards, with Gloucester outscoring Worcester six tries to two.

Gallagher Premiership 2019/20 latest standings

Adding to the sense of oddness around the Nanai sending off was that it was for a no-arms tackle on Gloucester and England wing Jonny May. Again, if it hadn’t been for the Covid-19 pandemic, May would not have played any of the 2019-20 season for the Cherry and Whites. But again due to the break, he returned to the West Country from Leicester on July 1.

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May did not come back onto the field after a head-injury assessment [HIA] and he was replaced by Welsh wunderkind Louis Rees-Zammit, demonstrating Gloucester’s strength in depth in the back three.

Jonny May receives treatment after being hit by Melani Nanai - GETTY IMAGES
Jonny May receives treatment after being hit by Melani Nanai - GETTY IMAGES

Worcester had made a bright start as newly-anointed 21-year-old Worcester captain Ted Hill went over for a try after the first minute of play. Worcester showed endeavour in the opening 20 minutes and debutant fly-half Billy Searle, another to move during suspension of play from Wasps, coped well with Gloucester attacking his channel.

Worcester director of rugby Alan Solomons said he had not had time to look into Nanai’s sending off by referee Christophe Ridley, but agreed that the game hinged on that moment. “It clearly had a massive impact on the game as it happened so early,” he said.

“Then having not played any rugby for five months and knowing we had the next 60 minutes to play with 14 men had a massive impact on the game.”

Despite a spell of Worcester defiance for the few minutes following the sending off, Gloucester began to turn the screw with hooker Jack Singleton, on loan from Saracens, getting the visitors off the mark after he crashed over the line.

Danny Cipriani grew into the game and allowed the Gloucester back three, which had to readjust after May left the field so early, time and space to get on the ball. This resulted in a brace from wing Ollie Thorley either side of the interval and further tries from Rees-Zammit and full-back Jason Woodward in the second half.

Gloucester look to launch an attack - GETTY IMAGES
Gloucester look to launch an attack - GETTY IMAGES

Gloucester head coach George Skivington said: “We were very hard-working, our outside backs did well ball in hand and I thought Danny Cipriani managed the game very well. I think in these first few games, the teams who can manage the games well stand the best chance of winning.”

Worcester wing Scott Van Breda clawed back a consolation try before Gloucester finished off in style with replacement scrum-half Stephen Varney touching down in the closing minutes.

Match details

Scores: 5-0 Hill try; 5-3 Twelvetrees pen; 8-3 Searle pen; 8-8 Singleton try, 13-8 Thorley try, 15-8 Twelvetrees con; 20-8 Thorley try, 22-8 Twelvetrees con; 27-8 Rees-Zammit try; 32-8 Woodward try, 34-8 Twelvetrees con, 34-13 Van Breda try, 34-15 Weir con; 37-15 Twelvetrees pen; 42-15 Varney try, 44-15 Twelvetrees con;

Worcester Warriors: M Nanai; T Howe, O Lawrence, A Beck (F Venter 58), S van Breda; B Searle (D Weir 58), F Hougaard; E Waller (L Holsey 66), N Annett (B Cutting 54), N Schonert (R Palframan 61), A Bresler (GJ van Velze 55), G Kitchener (C du Preez 61), T Hill, S Lewis, M Kvesic.
Red card: M Nanai (18)

Gloucester: J Woodward; O Thorley, C Harris, B Twelvetrees, J May (L Rees-Zammit 18), D Cipriani (T Seabrook 66), J Simpson (S Varney 58); V Rapava-Ruskin (L Mulipola 63), J Singleton (H Walker 69), F Balmain (J Stanley 61), E Slater, F Clarke, R Ackermann, L Ludlow (J Clement 58), J Polledri.

Referee: Christophe Ridley